Tucson...

The landscape is so different here from other parts of Arizona, the huge Saguro cactus must reach 30 feet or more into the air and they look like sentries as you drive down from the hills - to my (English) eyes they look like an alien species, dropped here from another planet.  The colours are different to those I've seen so far on this trip, but as ever, lovely; sages, silvers and soft, weathered dusty roses and browns; I hope I can keep all these colours in my head once I get home and start to work again; its always the colours I remember the most, the intense blues and red, red rocks of Sedona; the deep greens and wintry, pure whites of the White Mountains - and here, well, different again - always beautiful.

I was hoping it would be warm but its almost as cold as the mountains here right now - brrrrr....the photo above is of a cactus/fountain outside my hotel room first thing in the morning - you wouldn't imagine they could survive this sort of extreme of temperature but it seems they can.

Its off to the gem shows in Tucson over the next few days, this is what I am here for and I am rested and ready for the buying frenzy that will take place!   Tucson (and Arizona generally) is one of my favourite places in the States and is easily somewhere I could live - I had this image before I travelled here the first time that it would be just one big desert, but its an amazing state, full of contrasts and quirks and interesting stuff - you could spend years exploring.  

Still, once I've done my buying it will be back home to get all my bead and findings catalogued and photographed and ready for the site - and back to the mucking out!   Aaaargh.

Hidden Meadow Ranch, Arizona

Hidden Meadow Ranch

I was lucky enough found Hidden Meadow Ranch by chance via TripAdvisor, and had looked forward to it for weeks before travelling there up into the White Mountains (itself an adventure through the snow). In every way our expectations have been exceeded by the lovely place, the lovely people, the lovely cabins and the WONDERFUL food (thanks Kurt!!!) - even my being a vegetarian was no trouble at all to these lovely people and I have had the best food I have ever had at this place.

It snowed and snowed whilst we were there and Mark went ski-ing in a blizzard at the ski-ing resort next door, taken by bus provided by Hidden Meadow, whilst I attempted to go riding, also in a blizzard, with a very patient chap who was endlessly sweet and kind to me despite it obviously being the kind of weather where no sane person would ever want to get on a horse. I lasted about 3 minutes swallowing tons of snow but I got to sit on a western saddle and I went away happy.

We did a leatherworking class with Logan (I don't think Harry the kitten will never grow into that tiger size collar) and mostly we stayed by the fire and snoozed in the ultra luxe cabins. I nearly died and went to heaven when I saw the bath but in the end, it was so big I just never could fill it with water and in fact, had I done so I probaby would have drowned. Beds were so comfortable it was bliss and have I mentioned the food??? OK, we were actually the only customers there at the time but I daresay everyone feels that way regardless of whether there are other guests there at the time. It was wonderful, and nothing was ever too much trouble for anyone. We were truly astonished to find our car had been cleared from the snow every morning before we went to breakfast (though we didn't move it until the day we had to prise ourselves out of the gate).

We left HMR feeling refreshed and like we'd had a proper holiday. There was no TV in the cabin which initially we thought 'uh-oh' but instead of spending hours in front of meaningless rubbish, instead we read, slept and listened to audio books - and did a lot of staring into the lovely real fire in the cabin.
I highly recommend this lovely place; we felt we made friends there and would not hesitate to return; I hope it won't be 5 years before we get to visit Arizona again, but however long it is, HMR will always be on our 'to do' list - hopefully next time in the Spring or Summer. 
 
(Review written for TripAdvisor.)

Up Into the Hills, Many Miles Away...

Today's journey almost seems to have been endless - the Sat.Nav. claimed it would take 4 hours, but my SatNav in the UK also tells lies, so I don't know why I'd believe its American cousin any more.   And this SatNav has the most appalling diction. 

Anyway, here we are listening to a book on tape (Sebastian Faulks' Devil May Care), through endless miles of flat grassland sprinkled with snow and the occasional road sign which seems to have fallen victim to a crazed gunman or two.   We wish we'd taken the bullet-proof option now.

I'm ashamed to say there are at least three mega photo opportunities I haven't taken up which will stick in my mind for ever because I was just too darn tired to get out of the car and click the button on the camera.  

This is one example of pure laziness mitigated by complete and utter exhaustion -decided we'd go to the Petrified Forest to see the trees that had turned to stone.  Got to the gates.  Knackered.  Took a photo.  Left.  Shamed.  Sorry.

But its nearly the end of the day, and finally we're at our next hotel where we fall through the gates in complete and utter relief.  I really should try and remember that the States are bigger than the UK. 

Who Put This In The Middle of the Arizona Desert?

Not very nice at all.   No, not at all nice.

Meteorite Crater - Bigger than Big...

We stopped off at the Arizona Meteorite Crater, (yes, a big hole in the ground) - you approach on this winding road through miles of flat desert with nothing much but tumbleweed rolling under the car to break up the desolation of the area until you come to the big hole in the ground, and boy was it big, and oh my goodness it was windy.

When I came down I met a group of Americans (as you do in America) and happened to mention that I thought I was going to lose my trousers whilst I was up there.  It was a weird thing, from the frosty silence, I got the impression I'd committed some sort of faux pas - do Americans not mention trousers flying off on the top of mountains and laugh in a 'oh my god, I know EXACTLY what you mean' sort of way?   I could understand the resounding silence if I'd said I thought I was about to lose my knickers up there, but I didn't actually say that. 

Listen, it was interesting and all but I don't think I'd do it again because really, it was a big hole in the ground.  I did it mostly for my Dad who'd mentioned the place specifically before I left so I felt I needed to do it for him to take him some souvenirs and books and photos and things.  But, what can you say?  Long drive, big hole.  Trousers.

I thought the view on the other side was pretty darn cool though....

Just the Wide Open Road

Twin Arrows near Flagstaff, Arizona

We decided to drive up part of the old Route 66 (part of which we seem to do every time we visit this area) (now the unromantically named I-40) and boy, have we seen some stuff...first was the old Twin Arrows trading post which apparently closed about 20 years ago - this place looked like something out of an old western, and yes, we saw tumbleweed (didn't actually believe that really existed, but trust me, it does...)

Twin Arrows - well - you can see why Twin Arrows was named - these were originally made from old telegraph poles and have been restored recently, though the trading post itself hasn't as yet.  Interesting.

Leaving Sedona

An early start today, in order to drive over to the White Mountains on the other side of Arizona and have enough time to stop and start over and over again and take photos to my hearts content - the first few photos were taken just a few miles out of Sedona, as the colour of the rocks start to change - today it's cooler (and colder by the minute as I leave Sedona and as you can see, clouds in the skies - though still breathtakingly beautiful) - the next hotel is at 8,500 ft. elevation and I know for a fact already that it is perishingly cold up there, so this is time to enjoy the last few rays of sunshine and warmth for a few days.

As we climb upwards, the landscape and colours change dramatically... the red fades and a khaki/sand colour predominates.

The sun filters over the mountain tops and gives a little warmth to the chilly valleys; I've never seen this landscape in the summer, I can only imagine how beautiful it must be.

Cliimbing up through the mountains, these silver coloured trees dominate along the sides of the roads.

Then, we start to see (and feel!) snow... I'm sure it won't be the last - when I was here last time I went up the state as far as the Grand Canyon (actually I travelled further than that) and it was knee deep in snow.

This pic is only about 17 miles outside of Sedona, and I can't believe the difference in temperature and the landscape.



Sedona 2

A day of running round in the car and taking a look round Sedona once again - I got  my Dad a t-shirt which had been dyed with Sedona dirt, well, maybe until it is washed anyway!   I had to stop and get a photo of this street, so that I can truly claim I've been in the back of beyond today....

I'm always entraced by the colours in this place, and I always wish I could spend more time here....

The red rocks are mostly what pull people in here, (as well as the good food and fab climate) and below are some photos of the rocks at various times of the day...

This next one is the view from my hotel bedroom...fab, eh?

End of the day, on my way home from a day's photography and soaking up all the red and blue...

Sedona 1

Sedona, Arizona, is where I find myself today, writing from one of the most beautiful places on earth where today there is warmth and lovely blue, blue skies without a cloud anywhere - quite a change from the cold and rain I've left behind in the UK - though I know this won't last long as my travels progress! 
If you've never visited Arizona, and if you'e never had the pleasure of the town of Sedona, you've missed something special - this is a town I pass through whenever I can, not only for its beautiful views, lovely people but also its sense of serenity and peace.   I am staying in the Best Western Arroyo Roble Hotel - it's a great hotel at a fab price - lovely and clean, amazing views, great breakfast included - a pool and gym, the hotel exceeded expectations.   (I always book my hotels on the recommendation of the Trip Advisor website).

After the trauma of getting here, the peace and rest were truly needed.  Sedona is amazing in many ways, but the colour of the skies and the red of the rocks (caused by iron ore) are two of its particular attractions - the previous times I had been here I hadn't been able to visit this interesting church with a fabulous view, seemingly constructed right out of the rocks but I took the walk up to the top of the mountain huffing and puffing and arriving almost as red as the rocks. 
I didn't feel I could take pictures inside, but it is an amazing building, the walls inside are just sheer sheets of smooth stone which must rise up maybe 60 feet or so, and the roof slopes backwards; inside there are simple benches and a clear glass window intersected by the structural cross at the front of the building - its simplicity is beautiful, and although I don't consider myself religious, it would be hard not to be moved by something so simple yet impressive. 

Towards the evening, I passed the same place (though decided not to climb that hill again!) and was fascinated by the change in the light and the sky...